Some indigents and small business owners receive cash assistance from the Bangsamoro Government’s Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) and the Office of Member of Parliament Mudjib Abu, on August 12, 2024, in Cotabato City. (Photo courtesy of MSSD)
COTABATO CITY—A total of 69 Bangsamoro indigents and small business owners from Cotabato City and Maguindanao del Norte (MDN) each received P15,000 in cash assistance on Aug. 12.
Funded through the Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF) of Member of Parliament (MP) Mudjib Abu, the livelihood grants were implemented by the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) under its Bangsamoro Sagip Kabuhayan (BSK) program.
Rafsanjani Anam, Planning Officer IV of the MSSD, emphasized to the beneficiaries that the business capital is not just financial aid but also a means to empower them to enhance their entrepreneurial skills.
“This seed capital will be beneficial to you. You will receive these grants in full. We urge you to properly utilize the livelihood assistance in your chosen microenterprises,” said Anam.
The MSSD is expected to conduct continuous monitoring through regular assessments and evaluations of the business progress of the entrepreneurs.
The program’s target beneficiaries include underprivileged households, such as internally displaced persons (IDPs), persons with disabilities (PWDs), and other vulnerable sectors.
The BSK Program, a sub-component of MSSD’s Unlad Pamilyang Bangsamoro (UPB) program, aims to improve the well-being of poor and vulnerable households in the region by providing skills training and seed capital.
The UPB also provides rice subsidies, educational support for college students within assisted households, and medical assistance for ill family members.
Boosting the responsiveness and timeliness of social protection services aligns with the eighth priority agenda of Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim. (Johamin Inok/BIO with reports from MSSD)
